Trimming machine



May 20, 1947.

H. J. HENDRA TRIMMING MACHINE Filed NOV. 28, 1944 6' Sheets-Sheet 1 May 20, 1947.

H. J. HENDRA TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1944 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1947- H. J. HENDRA 2,420,747

' TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Noiv. 28, 1944 e Sheets-Sheet 3 May 20, 1947 H. J. HENDRA 1 ,74

TRIMMING MACHINE A Filed Nov. 28, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 11947. H. J. HENIJRA 2,420,747

TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 IIHIH III/527701" liamnfjfanfia y 1947- H. J. HENDRA 2,420,747

TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1944 6 Sheets-$heet 6 BYWI Patented May 20, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Henry James l o l l tii lfgfebec, Canada Application November 28, 19.44,Serial No. 565,518 In Canada November 29, 1943 '17 Claims. (Cl. 198-412) This invention relates to improvements in trimming machines such as may be used for moving, loading or unloading bulk cargoes, such as bauxite, iron ore, coal, limestone, etc., in or out of the holds of ships, railroad box cars, storage spaces, etc.

The objects of this invention are to provide a. compact and efiicient device for this purpose which may be operated with a minimum amount of labour and which will effectually perform the functions required of it.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means for breaking down the compactness of material, for causing the feed end of the machine to automatically weave or fan across the toe of of which the conveyor maybe operated, rotated in opposite directions and caused to weave or fan when operating on the material. Other features and objects of the invention will appear from the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trimming device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the conveyor in folded position.

Figure 3 is a plan of the device with a conveyor also in folded position.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation showing the principal operating mechanism and a portion of the conveyor.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the rotatinggear box with the cover removed.

Figure 6 is a sectional plan on the line 6-45 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation on the line 7-1 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation on the line 9-9 of Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation on the line l0l0 of Figure 5.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a screw conveyor built without a central driving shaft and having a spiral flight l 0 integrally connected to the cylindrical casingJ-l which itself rotates .2 on suitable bearings. The casing 11 is formed in three hinged sections I2, 13 and t4 connected by hinges l5 and l6, .parts of which hinges are supported on suitable collars I7 on the adjacent ends of the sections.

The axis of the cylinder I'll andof the conveyor is conveniently inclined at 15 to the horizontal, which is the maximum allowable slope for .the best efiiciency of a screw conveyor. At :the :lower or feed end of the conveyor a router or breaking device 18 is mounted on the cylinder ll having projecting and inwardly inclined teeth 'I 9 adapted to break down the compactness of the material as it feeds into the flight of the conveyor. The conveyor may be conveniently revolved at approximately 60 to R. P. lVL, at which speed it should move about or more tons'of material per hour according to the length of the conveyor, which in the case of a ship trimmer should be approximately twenty-two feet in length.

I he bearings supporting the conveyor A are supported from a rotating top platformor table 28 by a suitable frame 20. These bearings include support and thrust rollers 2| (see Figure 4) mounted in brackets 22 and engaging circular tracks "-23 on the cylinder 1 1. Top rollers 24 also engaging the tracks are provided and supported from brackets 25 mounted on the frame :20. The frame may also include a :cover section 26 extending over the top and down thesides of the conveyor to protect the rollers and gears on the conveyor.

It will beobservedthat as the-conveyor is made in three sectional lengths, it may be folded back, asshown :in Figures 2 and 3, and when opened out for operatingthe flanges :l l may be bolted together to hold :thesections in proper alignment.

The circular rotating table Bis designed to be rotated by the necessary gear from an enclosed rotatable gear box C, which in turn is mounted on a circular table D rotating on a circular 'bed plate-E. Walking pads Fare associated with bed plate E for the purpose described below. All of the mechanism is designed to be driven ,from a single source of motive power, suchasanelectric motor G mounted on the platform D and connected toan operating mechanism, as hereinafter described.

This driving mechanism includes a line shaft H. extending through and journalled at each end in the gear box C. The projecting ends of the line shaft H are designed to operate the walking pads-F through the well-known .Monighan walking device. The general form of this mechanism is shown in United States Patent No. 1,591,764 of July 6, 1926, and Canadian Patent No. 265,899 of "November 16, 1926. "In the mech-- anism illustrated eccentrics 211 "turn with the shaft carrying eccentric straps 128 with .depending rods 29 pivotally connected to brackets 39 on the pads F. Casings 3| are provided for the eccentrics supported on the hubs of the eccentrics. The extremities of the eccentrics carry rollers 32 engaging tracks 33 carried by the eccentric straps, This walking mechanism operates in the usual way, and by it the bed plate E and all of the mechanism mounted on it including the conveyor may be propelled backwards and forwards as may be desired during a loading and unloading operation.

Mounted on the line shaft H is the main hollow driving shaft I rotating in a central outside bearing 34, which forms part of the gear box. Shaft I is driven from the motor G by a suitable reduction gear, that illustrated comprising a roller chain 35 (Figure 5) connecting a sprocket 36 on the drive shaft 31 of the motor with a sprocket 38 mounted on the shaft I. The shaft I at its ends is supported by internal bearings 39 (Figure 4) which run on the line shaft H.

The hollow driving shaft I has installed along its length, gears for driving the following mechanism: (a) the flight conveyor, (1)) the circular gear track J (see Figures 4, 7, and 9) for rotating the conveyor 360 in opposite directions, cam mechanism K (see particularly Figures 4 and for fanning or weaving the conveyor when operating on material, and (d) gears for rotating the gear box section C. These several mechanisms will now be more fully described.

The mechanism for driving the flight conveyor comprises an annular bevel gear 40 (Figure 4) mounted centrally on the section l3 of the cylinder l0 engaged by a bevel pinion 4| carried by a vertically aligned sleeve 42 and supported by a roller bearing 43, the sleeve being journalled in a suitable housing 44 having screw threaded engagement with an opening in the top of the gear box. The lower end of the sleeve 42 carries a bevel gear 45 which engages a corresponding gear 46 fixed to and rotating with the hollow drive shaft I.

The mechanism for rotating the conveyor horizontally in opposite directions may be understood by reference to Figure 9 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that the platform B is itself supported by rollers 41 mounted on the gear box C and running on a track 48 on the underside of the platform B, The circular gear J is affixed to the underside of the platform B and engaged by a driving pinion 49 mounted on and rotating with a vertically disposed stepped stub shaft 50, the lower end of which is supported on a ball bearing 5|. Mounted on the shaft 59 are gears and clutch mechanism by which it may be driven in either direction. As illustrated oppositely facing bevel gears 52 and 53 are mounted on step portions of the shaft, both being driven from a bevel gear 54 (Figure 6) on a short horizontal shaft 55, which carries a sprocket wheel 56 connected by a chain 51 with a sprocket 58 carried by the gear 46 which rotates with the hollow drive shaft I. The shaft 59 may be caused to be driven in opposite directions by a clutch element 59 (Figure 9) which is actually movable on and rotatable with the shaft 5|], having teeth on opposite sides adapted to be moved into engagement with corresponding teeth on the gears 52 and 53 by means of an operating lever 60 pivoted to a bracket 6| in the gear box and having the handle extending through an aperture 62 in the gear box. Suitable means notv shown may be provided for holding the handle in neutral forward or reverse position. It will be seen that by operating the lever 60 the turntable B may be caused to turn in either direction, thus swinging the conveyor A about a vertical axis.

The mechanism for fanning or weaving the conveyor when operating on the material includes epicyclic gearing L of any convenient 'form, that shown (Figure 6) having a driving pinion 63 connected to and rotated by the shaft I, intermediate gears 64 mounted on the carrier 65 and a driven gear 66 connected to and forming part of the shuttle cam 61. This cam 61 is in the form of a sleeve extending along and suitably journalled on the shaft I abutting at one end against a ball bearing 68. On the exterior of the cam 61 an endless cam groove 69 is formed substantially in the shape of a return spiral, this groove being adapted to engage and reciprocate a shuttle rack 19 (Figure 4) which has a roller fitting within the groove whereby the continuous rotation of the sleeve will cause the shuttle rack to be reciprocated within its horizontal guide 12 (Figures 4 and 8).

Mechanism is provided for causing the reciprocation of the shuttle rack 19 to reciprocate or weave the conveyor A. This mechanism is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8, from which it will be seen that the rack of the shuttle rack 19 engages a gear 13 (Figure 8) on a vertical stepped shaft 14, the upper end of which carries a gear 15 rotating with the shaft 14 and engaging the annular gear J. The shaft 14 is supported at its upper end by bearing 16 mounted in a bracket I1. The gear 13 together with a sleeve 18 connected to it is designed to turn freely with respect to the shaft 14 but to be operatively connected thereto by an axially movable clutch element 19 actuated by a pivoted hand lever 89, the lever being pivoted to a projection 8| on the bracket ll. When moved to engaged position the clutch element will cause the shaft "M to rotate with the gear 13, thus oscillating the shaft, and through the gear 15 and-gear J it will oscillate the turntable B and thus impart a reciprocating or weaving movement to the conveyor A.

The gear mechanism (see Figure 4) for rotating the gear box section with respect to the bed plate E includes an interior annular gear 82 on the bed plate engaged by a pinion 83 which rotates with a short vertical shaft 84, the opposite end of which is connected to and rotates with a bevel gear 85 adapted to be driven alternately from either of the oppositely faced bevel gears 86 and 81, which are mounted on the shaft I, these gears being adapted to be alternately thrown into operation by an axially movable clutch element 88 controlled by a lever 89 on a shaft 90 journalled in a frame member 9| (Figure 7) the opposite end of the shaft 99 being connected to a lever 92 having a gear segment 93 thereon engaging a segmental pinion 9 3 mounted on a shaft 95, which carries and is controlled by a suitable operating lever notshown. The clutch element 88 will normally remain in neutral position, but if it is desiredto turn the gear box on the bed plate in order to change the position of the walking devices, the clutch element may be moved in either direction, causing the rotation of the pinion 83 and a turning movement of the gear box with respect to the bed plate.

The actuation of the walking devices from the shaft I is controlled by an axially movable clutch element 96 (Figure 4) designed to engage one or another of two bevel gears 91 and 98, the gear 91 being secured to and rotating with the shaft l and communicating a motion in the reverse direction to the gear 98 through a connecting gear I00, which has a supporting shaft iii! connected thereto and journalled in a suitable bearing I92 and the clutch element 96 designed to be actuated by a lever M3 on a shaft tilt, the opposite end of which has connected to it a lever 65 (Figure 7) having an arcuate gear section lilfi therein engaging an arcuate pinion llll on a shaft [08 mounted in a bracket its, the shaft also being connected to a suitable hand operating lever not shown by which it may be turned to operate the clutch element.

In the operation of the device the trimmer in the folded condition shown in Figures 2 and 3 is brought to the location on the ship, car or storage place where it is to be used. The sections H, i2 and iii are brought into alignment and bolted together, the feed end l8 of the conveyor being placed adjacent to the bulk material'to be elevated and moved. The conveyor is then actuated through the gear 49 and train of gears already described, and a weaving motion may be imparted to the feed end by throwing.

into operation the cam mechanism K. From time to time the conveyor may be turned about its vertical axis by turning the platform B through the gear J and the mechanism already described. When it is desired to move the device closer to the material being elevated, the walking devices F may be actuated through the mechanism described.

In order to change the direction of movement of the device through these Walking devices the gear box C is turned with respect to the bed plate E by the mechanism already described.

It will be seen that the trimmer described possesses considerable flexibility both with regard to its operation and with regard to moving and maintaining it in operation. It may be operated in the hold of a ship or on a box car or as part of an unloading station. It may be used in association with track conveyors and other unloading devices as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1; A trimmer comprising a bed-plate, a gear box pivotally supported on the bed-plate, a platform above the gear box supported freely to turn above a vertical axis, a conveyor having a cylindrical casing with an internal spiral flight, means rotatably supporting the casing on the platform, a prime mover, a driving shaft in the gear box driven by the prime mover, gear means extending from the driving shaft to the casing to rotate the latter, and gear means operated from the shaft by which the platform may be turned in either direction with respect to the gear box.

2. A trimming machine comprising a conveyor having a cylindrical casing and an internal spiral flight without a central shaft, a platform turnable about a substantially vertical axis, means on the platform for supporting the conveyor for rotation, a prime mover, a driving shaft driven by the prime mover, drive means connecting the driving shaft to rotate the conveyor, and means including clutch means for connecting the driving shaft to turn the platform in either direction, said clutch means connecting the, platform to the driving shaft to be driven in one direction or the other, or disconnecting the platform from the prime mover.

3. A trimmer comprising a bed-plate, a gear form above the gear box supported freely to turn labout a vertical axis, a conveyor having a cylinidr-ical casing with an internal spiral .fiight, means rotatably supporting the casing on the platform, a prime mover, a drivin shaft in the gear box driven by the prime mover, gear means extending from the driving shaft tothe casing to rotate the latter, and gear means for connecting the driving shaft to turn the platform in either direction with respect to the gear box, said last mentioned gear means including clutch means adapted to connect the platform to the driving shaft to be driven in one direction or the other, or to disconnect the platform from the prime mover. 4. A trimming machine of the type described, comprising-a platform mounted to turn about a substantially vertical axis, a conveyor supported by the platform to turn with it, a prime mover, a driving shaft driven by the prime mover, driving means for the conveyor driven by the driving shaft, means also driven by the driving shaft for turning the platform, said means for turning the platform including clutch means adapted to connect the platform to the driving shaft to be driven in one direction or the other, or to disconnect the platform from the driving shaft and means connectible to be driven by the driving shaft automatically to turn the platform first in one direction and then the other to weave the conveyor from side to side.

5. -A trimmer as defined in claim 4, comprising clutch means for connecting and disconnecting the automatic weaving means.

-6. A trimming machine of the type described, comprising a platform mounted to turn about a substantially vertical axis, a conveyor supported by the platform to turn with it, a prime mover connected to drive the conveyor, and means con: nectible to be driven by the prime mover automatically to turn the platform first in one direction and then the other to weave the conveyor from side to side, said means comprising a rotatable 'cam member, a reciprocal shuttle rack operated thereby, gear means connecting the cam member to be driven by the prime mover and gear means connecting the shuttle rack to the platform toimpart an oscillating motion.

'7. A; trimmer as defined in claim 6 in which the gear means connecting the shuttle rack to the platform includes a gear connected to the platform, a shaft carrying a gear engaging the gear connected to the platform and clutch means adapted to connect the shaft to be operated by the shuttle rack.

8. A trimming machine of the type described, comprising a platform mounted to turn about a substantially vertical axis, a conveyor supported by the platform to turn with it, a prime mover, a driving shaft driven by the prime mover, driving means for the conveyor driven by the driving shaft, means also driven by the driving shaft for turning the platform, and means adapted automatically to turn the'platform first in one direction and then the other to weave the conveyor from side to side, said means adapted automatically to turn the platform comprising a rotatable cam member, a reciprocal shuttle rack operated thereby, gear means connecting the cam member to be driven by the prime mover and gear means connecting the shuttle rack to the platform to impart an oscillating motion.

9. A trimming machine of the type described, comprising a platform mounted to turn about a substantially vertical axis, a conveyor supported by the platform to turn with it, a prime mover, a driving shaft driven by the prime mover, driving means forthe conveyor driven by the driving shaft, means also driven by the driving shaft for turning the platform, said means for turning the platform including clutch means adapted to connect the platform to the driving shaft to be driven in one direction or the other, or to disconnect the platform from the driving shaft, and means adapted automatically to turn the platform first in one direction and then the other to weave the conveyor from side to side, said means adapted automatically to turn the platform comprising a rotatable cam member, a reciprocal shuttle rack operated thereby, gear means connecting the cam member to be driven by the prime mover and gear means connecting the shuttle rack to the platform to impart an oscillating motion.

10. A trimmer as defined is claim 9 in which the gear means connecting the shuttle rack to the platform includes a gear connected to the platform, a shaft carrying a gear engaging the gear connected to the platform, and clutch means adapted to connect the shaft to be operated by the shuttle rack.

11. A trimmer comprising a bed-plate, a gear box pivotally supported on the bed-plate, a platform above the gear box supported freely to turn above a vertical axis, a conveyor having a cylindrical casing with an internal spiral flight, means for rotatably supporting the casing on the platform, a prime mover, a driving shaft in the gear box driven by the prime mover,'gear means extending from the driving shaft to the casing to rotate the latter, and gear means operated from the shaft by which the platform may be turned in either direction with respect to the gear box, said gear means extending from the driving shaft to the casing to rotate the latter comprising a bevelled pinion driven from the driving shaft and an annular gear mounted on the casing and constantly in mesh with the bevelled pinion.

12. A trimmer as defined in claim 11 in which the cylindrical casing is provided with a plurality of annular tracks adapted to be engaged by a plurality of rollers mounted on the platform.

13. A trimming machine of the type described comprising a platform mounted to turn about a substantially vertical axis, a conveyor inclined to the horizontal with the delivery end elevated and the conveyor supported on the platform to turn with it, a prime mover, a driving shaft driven by the prime mover, driving means for the conveyor driven by the driving shaft, means also driven by the driving shaft for turning the platform, said means for turning the platform including clutch means adapted to connect the platform to the driving shaft to be driven in one direction or the other, or to disconnect the platform from the driving shaft and means connectible to be driven by the prime mover automatically to turn the platform first in one direction and then the other to weave the conveyor from side to side.

1 1. A trimming machine as defined in claim 13 comprising a router at the feed end of the conveyor for breaking up the material.

15. A trimmer as defined in claim 1 in which the conveyor is formed with a plurality of hinged sections adapted to be secured in alignment with each other or to be folded one along side another when the machine is not in operation.

16. A trimming machine as defined in claim 1, comprising a walking device operatively connected to the prime mover whereby the machine may be propelled in any direction.

17. A trimmer as defined in claim 1 in which the driving shaft is hollow and surrounds a line shaft which extends through the gear box and has projecting ends connected to walking devices.

HENRY JAMES HENDRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 799,210 Weiler Sept. 12, 1905 1,654,311 Schwenke Dec. 27, 1927 419,401 Baldry et a1 Jan. 14, 1890 1,618,338 Hoffman Feb. 22, 1927 1,408,299 Holley Feb. 28, 1922 1,346,679 Pratt July 13, 1920 992,806 Rosenthal May 23, 1911 

